Sailing Legends Brad Butterworth and Josh Belsky Visit Monterey Peninsula Yacht Club

A couple of weeks ago Jeff Canepa of the Monterey Peninsula Yacht Club let us know of a visit by sailing legends New Zealand AC sailor Brad Butterworth and American AC sailor Josh Belsky. While golf brought them to Monterey, sailors brought them to MPYC.

As many will remember, Brad played a critical role as tactician and skipper in the America’s Cup for Team New Zealand and Team Alinghi for Switzerland. He was inducted into the America’s Cup Hall of Fame in 2004. Butterworth became skipper himself and went on to win the 2007 America’s Cup in Valencia, again beating Team New Zealand, this time 5–2. Brad has sailed and been successful in numerous international sailing competitions, including the Admiral’s Cup, the Kenwood Cup, the Sydney to Hobart Race, the Fastnet Race, the Whitbread Round the World Race and the America’s Cup. In 1987, Brad skippered the top-ranked Admiral’s Cup boat Propaganda as New Zealand won that year’s Cup. In 1995, Brad was appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire for his services in yachting.

American Josh Belsky has also raced in numerous America’s Cups, including aboard America3 when they won the Cup in San Diego. He raced with Dennis Connor in a losing effort in ’95, went on to win the 1997-98 Whitbread Round the World Race with Paul Cayard aboard EF Language, and joined the AmericaOne Challenge in 2000. Belsky joined Alinghi as they won the Cup in 2003, and for a successful defense in 2007.

The very active Monterey Peninsula Yacht Club hosts its own world-class regattas on Monterey Bay, and welcomes sailors visiting however and from wherever they sail. It’s well known that sharing a glass of wine with successful sailors always raises your ambition and improves your results in future local regattas.